Lubricator



(No Model.)-

J. L. CORY.

LUBRIGATOR.

N0.487,661., Patented Dec 6, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. CORY, OF GREEN ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT C. BLAOKALL, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,661, dated December 6, 1892.

Application filed June 2, 1892. Serial No. 435,241. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN L. CORY, of Green Island, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Lubricating Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

Heretofore great difliculty has been experienced from an inability to apply a lubricant to the journals and other moving parts of locomotives, railway-cars, and other machinery while in motion; but this difficulty has been especially experienced in railway machinery relating to trains and the means for moving them, wherein, from a lack of suitable facilities for properly applying a lubricant While the machinery is in motion, the parts quickly become overheated and abraded by reason of excessive friction of the moving parts while attempting to run the train to a station where a stop can be effected for the purpose of applying lubricant to the overheated part to remedy the trouble without exposing the train to the danger of a oollisionwith other trains. Many serious accidents, some of which have been attended with fatal results, have occurred by reasons of collisions occasioned by stopping trains at stations where no stop is indicated on the running-schedules, and many of such accidents can be traced directly to the fact that a train was stopped at an improper place for the purpose of applying a lubricant to an overheated partof the machinery.

The object of my invention is to provide facilities for properly applying a lubricant to any required part of the moving machinery without regard to the rate of speed at which said machinery is running. This object I attain by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, being herein referred to, form part of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my apparatus, with parts shown in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of Fig. 1 at the line X X. Fig. 3 is a plan view of my apparatus. Fig.

4 is a horizontal section of Fig. 1 at the line Y Y. Fig. 5 is an enlarged and detached vertical section of the lower portion of the turning-plug, showing the lubricant-valve, airvalve, and pressure-valve in side elevation.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of Fig. 5 at the line Z Z, and Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of the turning-plug with the stopper removed from the lower end.

As represented in the drawings, A designates the casing or body of my apparatus, the same forming a reservoir for containing a liquid lubricant. Said body is preferably .made in a cylindrical form with the top B and bottom 0 integral therewith. The top B is provided with a central bored opening D for receiving the upper portion of a turning plug E, which is fitted to rotate therein, and said top is also provided with a filling-hole F, which is closed by a screw-cap 1, having a vent-hole 2 formed therein to allow air to flow into the reservoir to fill the space made vacant by the outflow of the lubricant. A strainer3 of wirecloth or foraminated metal is inserted in said filling-hole for the purpose of clearing the lubricant from any solid impurities that may be held in the latter. On the periphery of said body, near its upper end, there is a circumferential flange G, that is provided with a series of notches 4, for a purpose hereinafter explained. Said flange is also provided with one or more notches 5, whose purpose will also be hereinafter explained.

The bottom O is provided with a centrallylocated coniform neck H, whose center corresponds to that of the opening D, and said neck is bored to receive the conical body 6 of the turning plug E, which should fit said bore to form an oil-tight joint therein. The larger diameter of the neck H is at its lower end, and it is provided with a circumferential flange 7, to which is secured a seat-piece I, provided with a screw-neck 8 or other suitable provision, whereby the apparatus may be secured to a required place. Said seat-piece is provided with an opening 9, into which one or more lateral pipes 10 lead, for the purpose of conveying steam or compressed air into the chamber of the turning plug E, as hereinafter explained.

When steam is employed for ejecting the lubricant, the pipes 10 can be connected directly to the steam-generator or to a system of steam-heating pipes, whereby the cars are warmed; but if compressed air is employed to effect the ejectment of the lubricant the said chamber.

pipes 10 should be connected either directly or indirectly with the compressed-air tanks provided for operating the air-brakes of a railway-train.

The turning plug E is fitted to rotate in the opening D and neck H, and its lower portion is provided with an oil-chamber J,whose lower end is closed by an annular stopper 11, whose opening is closed by a downwardly-opening valve 12,which is normally retained in a closed position by means of a spring 13. Near the upper end of the chamber J an eduction-port 14 is formed radially therefrom. The body of the turning plug E is bored to receive a piston-valve 15, whose lower portion is provided with a series of grooves 16, which when said valve is in its raised position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, will form an open communication with oil-ports 17, to allow the lubricant to flow from the reservoir in the body A into the chamberJ of the turning plugE; and it should be understood that said chamber is normally kept filled with the lubricant. A stem 18 of the valve extends upwardly through the body of the turning plug E, and the upper end of said stem is provided with a head 19, which receives the pressure of a spring 20, interposed between the lower side of said head and the bottom of a chamber formed in the upper end of said body. Said spring maintains the valve 15 in its raised position, to allow the lubricant to flow from the reservoir in the body A into the chamber J of the turning plug E. The end of the cylindrical body of the turning plug E, which extends through the top B, is provided with a spline or splines 21 for engaging the key-seats formed in a hub 22 of an operating-lever K, whereby the turning plug E can be turned to different posi tions when required. The hub 22 is also provided with lugs 23, to which a depressing lever L is fulerumed, as at 24. The lever L is arranged to bear upon the upper end of the head 19, for the purpose of forcing down the valve 15 when necessary to stop the flow of oil from the lubricant-reservoir and at the same time prevent the steam or air pressure from entering said reservoir. The weight of the lever L is carried on a spring 25, fixed on the operating-lever K, so as to relieve the valve 15 from the pressure due to said weight. By depressing the lever L the lower end of the valve 15 will be carried into contact with the upper end of the valve 12, so as to force the latter from its seat, thereby allowing the fluid-pressure from the pipes 10 to enter the chamber J, when the oil is to be forced out of An air passage 26 leads from the upper end of the ehamberJ and opens into the upper part of the lubricant reservoir of the body A. Said air-passage is provided with an automatic valve 27,.whose opening movement is downward and is effected by gravity, and its downward movement is restricted by a cross-pin 28 which passes through a slotted opening 29 in the guide-wings of said valve.

When steam or compressed air is admitted into the chamber J the pressure of the fluid will force the valve 27 to close the passage 26, and thereby said pressure will be prevented from entering the lubricant-reservoir of the body A; but as soon as the valve 12 is closed to exclude the pressure from the chamber J, which will occur simultaneously with the rising movement of the valve 15, the valve 27 will descend to open the air-passage 26 and the in flowing lubricant will expel the air from the chamber J and cause it to flow upwardly through the air-passage 26 into the upper part of the lubricant-reservoir in the body A. The upper end of the turning plug E is provided with screw-nuts 30 and a washer 31, arranged to force the hub 22 upon the body of said turning plug, and by means of said screwnuts the conical body 6 can be drawn into the coniform bore of the neck 11 until an oil-tight joint is obtained for the body 6 in the bore of said neek, but in order to avoid unnecessary friction between the two parts last named, a spring 32, which is preferably made in the form of a cup-shaped disk, and is interposed between the lower end of the hub 22 and the top B, which spring will form an elastic cushion which while it Will retain the conical body 6 snugly in its seat in the neck II will allow the turning plug E to be rotated with freedom. A series of openings 33 is arranged radially in the upper part of the neck 11 on a plane which corresponds with that of the eductionport 14 of the turning plug E, and in each of said openings there is inserted an independent lubricant conducting pipe 34, which is arranged to convey the lubricant to some particular point of the machinery to which the lubricant is to be applied. The eduction-port 14 is so arranged that by the rotative movement of the turning plug E said port can be carried into exact correspondence with either of the openings 33, and in order to retain said port in correspondence with any of said openings the operating-lever K is provided with a spring-catch 35, which is fitted to take in either of the notches 4, said notches being so arranged that one of them will retain the turning plug E in a position where the eductionport 14 will correspond in position with some one of the series of openings 33. The notches 5 are arranged to receive the spring-catch 35, and retain the turning plug E in position where its eduction-port 14 will not be in correspondence with either of the openings 33, thereby rendering the apparatus inoperative inrespect to dischargingthe lubricant from the chamber J until the turning plug E is turned into proper position to eifect that purpose.

M designates a glass gage, which is attached to the body A for the purpose of showing the level of the lubricant contained in the reservoir formed in said body. Said gage is provided with a glass tube 36, whose lower end is held in the hub of a bent pipe 37, attached to the bottom 0 of said body.

The upper end of said tube, which is preferably left open, is held in a bracket 38, secured to the side of the body A.

The lubricant-conducting pipes '34 being arranged so that each will deliver the lubricant to some particular part of the machinery (preferably to parts that are inaccessible to effect the lubrication in the usual manner) and the pipes being connected to suitable appliances for supplying fluid under pressure to the apparatus the latter will operate in the following manner: As hereinbefore stated, the chamber J is normally filled with lubricant ready to be discharged at any required point for which either of the pipes 34 is arranged. By means of the operatinglever K the turning plug E is partially rotated to bring the eduction-port 14 into coincidence with the opening 33, to which the pipe 34, now required to be used, is connected to convey the lubricant to the desired point. Then by depressing the lever L the piston-valve 15 is forced downward to prevent the flow of the lubricant from the reservoir and to open the valve 12 to allow the pressure of steam or compressed air to flow into the chamber J,

whereby the lubricant is forced out from said chamber and is conveyed through the pipe 34 to the part to which the lubricant is to be applied. Simultaneously with the expulsion of the lubricant from the chamber J the admitted pressure will force the valve 27 to its closed position, so as to prevent said pressure from entering the'lubricant-reservoir of the body A; but as soon as the valve 12 is closed the pressure remaining in the chamber J will be insufficient to retain the valve 27 in a closed position, and by the falling movement of the latter the air-passage 26 will be opened and thereby the pressure remaining in the chamber J will pass into the lubricant-reservoir of the body A and aid in refilling the chamber J with the lubricant from said reservoir.

\Vhen my apparatus is applied to a locomotive, it is preferably fixed in the cab of the engine or adjacently thereto in a position where it can be manipulated by either the engineer or fireman in charge of the engine, and the lubricant-conducting pipes 34 should be arranged to deliver the lubricant to moving parts of the engine that are inacessible while the locomotive is under way. On railway-trains one of my apparatus should be fixed in each car of a train in a position Where it can be manipulated by an authorized employ, and the lubricant-conducting pipes 34 should be arranged to deliver lubricant in each of the journal-boxes of the car while the latter is in transit or running on the rails.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus for forcibly applying lubricant to the moving parts of machinery, consisting of alubricant-reservoir provided with a hollow neck for containing a turning plug and having lubricant-conducting pipes ex tending therefrom, a turning plug provided with a head fitted to rotate in the bore of said neck, said turning plug having a lubricantchamber provided with an eduction-port, which is adapted to be moved into correspondence with either of said lubricant-conducting pipes or openings leading into the latter, said turning plug being also provided with a valved lubricant-passage between the lubricant-reservoir of the apparatus and the lubricant-chamber of the turning plug, anda valved air-passage leading from the lubricant-chamber of the turning plug into the lubricant-reservoir, and one or more pipes whereby steam or other fluid under pressure can be conducted into the lubricant-chamber of said turning plug, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

2. An apparatus for forcibly applying lubricant, consisting of a lubricant-reservoir provided with a series of lubricant-conducting pipes leading therefrom, a turning plug fitted to rotate in a neck of said reservoir and provided with an eduction-port leading from a lubricant-chamber in said turning plug and adapted to be turned into correspondence with either of said pipes, said lubricant-chamber having a downward-opening valve in its lower end, lubricant-passages leading from the upper end of said lubricant-chamber into the lubricant-reservoir of the apparatus, a downwardly-moving piston or valve arranged to control said lubricant-passages and to effect the opening movement of the valve at the bottom of said lubricant-chamber, and a lever for operating said piston, as and for the purpose herein specified.

3. In a lubricating apparatus, a lubricantreservoir having a series of lubricant-eonducting pipes leading therefrom, and a series of peripheral notches which correspond in number and position to said conductingpipes, a turning plug fitted to rotate in aneck of said reservoir and provided with an eduction-port which is adapted to be moved into correspondence with either of said lubricant-- conducting pipes, said eduction-port leading from a lubricant-chamber formed in the turning plug, an. operating-lever attached to said turning plug and provided with means, substantially as described, for locking said turning plug at any required point of its rotative movement, and one or more pipes leading into said neck, whereby steam or other fluid under pressure can be delivered into the lubricant-chamber of said turning plug, as and for the purpose herein specified.

4. In a lubricatingapparatus, the combination of a lubricant-reservoir having a hollow neck from which a series of lubricant-conducting pipes extend, a turning plug fitted to rotate in the bore of said neck and having a lubricant-chamber formed therein, a lubricant-passage leading from said reservoir into said chamber, a piston or valve fitted to control said lubricant-passage, an air-passage which forms a communication between the lubricant-chamber of the turning plug and the upper part of the lubricant-reservoir, and an eduction-port leading from said lubricantchamber and adapted to form a communication with either of said lubricant-conducting:

pipes, as and for the purpose herein specified.

5. In a lubricating apparatus, the combination of a lubricant-reservoir and a turning plug fitted to rotate in a neck of said lubricant-reservoir, said turning plug being provided with a lubricant-chamber, which normally contains a required charge of lubricant and having a lubricant-passage and an air-passage which form independent commu- I 5 nications between said lubricant-chamber and the lubricant-reservoir of the apparatus, each of said passages being provided with an independent valve for controlling the respective passages, whereby the lubricant may be ejectedfrom said lubricant-chamber without affecting the contents of the lubricant-reservoir, as and for the purpose herein specified.

JOHN L. CORY. \Vitnesses:

WM. II. LOW, S. B. BREWER. 

